Robert Lee James, 46, of House Springs has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of drug trafficking and drug possession and endangering the welfare of a child. James, who also lived in Bloomsdale, was twice found asleep in a bedroom where illegal drugs were found and a child was in the house, court documents said.
James pleaded guilty on Oct. 18 to two charges of drug trafficking, two charges of drug possession and two charges of endangering the welfare of a child following three separate arrests from May 2021 to November 2022. Jefferson County Div. 5 Circuit Judge Victor Melenbrink sentenced James to 15 years in prison for each trafficking charge and seven years for each charge of drug possession and child endangerment, according to court records.
The sentences will be served concurrently, or at the same time. James also was ordered to undergo a treatment program, court documents show.
One of James’ drug trafficking charges stems from a May 26, 2021, arrest in Jefferson County. He drove Brittany Sue Foster, 38, of House Springs to a UPS store, where she packaged and mailed fentanyl, the case’s probable-cause statement said.
Foster pleaded guilty on Oct. 3 to drug trafficking. Jefferson County Div. 1 Circuit Judge Joseph Rathert sentenced her to 15 years in prison, but the sentence was suspended and Foster was placed on five years’ probation, court documents show.
On May 12, 2022, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office deputies went to a home in the 5100 block of Sycamore Springs Drive in House Springs to arrest James on a warrant. Deputies found James sleeping in a bedroom with a glass pipe with residue on his chest and 34 capsules containing fentanyl on the bed, the case’s probable-cause statement said.
Deputies also found a bag containing methamphetamine on a dresser next to the bed. There also was a 2-year-old child in the house, the report said.
Deputies returned to the House Springs home on Nov. 2, 2022, to arrest James on another warrant. James was again found in a bedroom asleep, and a glass pipe and meth also were lying on the bed, according to the report.
The child also was on the bed with James, the pipe and meth, the report said.